This year millions of Americans will visit our nation’s capital to celebrate our 250th anniversary. I have encouraged many who plan to visit Washington, DC to look for all the references to God in the government buildings and national monuments.

In the past, I have encouraged visitors to get a copy of Newt Gingrich’s book, Rediscovering God in America, because it is almost a walking tour of God in the capitol. But now I encourage them to go to the Museum of the Bible. They can enjoy a virtual flying tour called “Washington Revelations” where you see various biblical references in our nation’s capital.

The top of the Washington Monument has a cap that bears the inscription, Laus Deo, which is Latin for “Praise God.” The Lincoln Memorial has Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, that includes two Bible verses: Matthew 18:7 and Psalm 19:9. The Jefferson Memorial has his famous observation: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are a gift of God?”

If you walk over to the National Archives, you can see the Declaration of Independence. As we have mentioned in previous commentaries, it includes four references to God including the clear statements that all are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.”

In the U.S. Capitol, the face of Moses looks down upon the proceedings The phrase “In God We Trust” can be seen directly over the Speaker’s chair. The Supreme Court also has a sculpture of Moses holding the Ten Commandments.

Everywhere you go, you can find references to God and the Bible. All of it is a reminder that Christian principles were part of the founding of this country and the framing of the government.